1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for applying wallcovering sheets to walls or other surfaces, and more particularly to a hand held wallpaper applicator upon which the material is scrolled on and off and supported while being applied and which has leveling means to correctly position the material and applicator and pressure means for providing pressure to assure adhesion between the surface and the wallcovering material.
2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Adhesive coated or prepasted wallcovering referred to herein are made of vinyl or vinyl coated material consisting of a cloth or paper intrastructure, and have an adhesive or water activated adhesive coating on one side thereof, with a decorative design or pattern on the opposite side. Such sheets or rolls of wallcovering are available in several different widths, but are generally manufactured in 201/2 inch widths when retailed in the home consumer market. The adhesive coating on the wallcovering is usually activated by submersion of the wallcovering in a medium consisting of water or, if desired, water and paste.
Application of such moistened, prepasted wallcovering or coated wallcovering requires considerable time and dexterity in order to avoid formation of wrinkles, creases, and tears in the applied sheets or strips. It is also difficult to insure that the sheets of wallcovering are applied in a level or aligned manner on the surface to be papered. Since the sheets must usually be submerged in a water trough and dampened to activate the adhesive paste on the paper prior to application, a large area, equal to the length of the strip of moistened paper, is required so that this dripping strip of paper can be laid out and booked. Furthermore, once the wet paper has relaxed for the time required to allow the paste to be fully activated, the wet strip must be tediously applied to the surface. If the wet strip is not properly applied or aligned level to the surface to be covered, then efforts to detach or manipulate the adhered strip on the surface may cause tearing or damage.
There are several patents which disclose hand-held wallpaper applicators of various construction.
Heinemann, U.S. Pat. No. 302,250 discloses a paper hanger's holder which is a hand-held device having a handle with a bar adapted to support a fan of paper doubled over it, and two clamping bars arranged parallel to and one to either side of the support bar.
Foster, U.S. Pat. No. 630,678 discloses a device for applying wall paper comprising a brush with bristles facing outward and a roller mounted above the brush in a yoke attached to a telescopic handle.
Fritz, U.S. Pat. No. 1,498,618 discloses a paper hanging machine comprising a supporting frame which holds and permits unwinding of the paper over guides and over the slot in a paste container for automatically applying the paste to the paper. A cylindrical brush is mounted at the front of the frame and the device includes a knife which cuts the paper at the end of a single stretch. A spring pressed bar opposite the slot presses the paper against the slot and the pressure of the bar on the paper is manually controlled.
Hale, U.S. Pat. No. 1,639,134 discloses a paper hanging device comprising a rectangular frame having a front section and a rear section hinged together and an operating handle pivotally connected to the frame. A small roller is rotatably supported on the front section and a larger roller is rotatably supported on the rear section. An upright brush is disposed centrally between the rollers. The paper after being pasted is placed on top of the frame and the device is placed against the ceiling with the rear roller serving as a paper carrier and the front roller rolling the paper against the ceiling by drawing the device along the length of the paper.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art and the above noted patents in particular by a hand-held wallpaper applicator having a hand grip portion and a flat generally rectangular base portion with an elongate separable roller assembly rotatably and removably carried thereon which is adapted to receive and releasably secure one end of a strip of wallcovering material thereon and to receive the remaining strip material thereon in a rolled condition. An elongate laterally adjustable tubular pressure contact member is carried at the forward end of the applicator parallel with the roller assembly for contacting and applying pressure to the wallcovering material as it is scrolled off the roller assembly. Tensioning means on the applicator applies resilient pressure to the material rolled on the roller assembly to maintain the remaining material in the rolled condition as the material is being scrolled off the roller assembly. The tensioning means is selectively movable between a position into engagement with the rolled material and a position out of engagement therewith and remote from the roller assembly for allowing the roller assembly to be removed from the applicator. The applicator has level means for indicating the positioning of the sheet material upon the surface being covered and rotary crank means releasably and operatively connected to the roller assembly for rotating same to scroll the remaining strip material thereon in a rolled condition.